Just like you have to winterize your home before the temperatures get cold and it starts snowing, you have to also winterize your business. One area of a business that must be winterized is your loading dock or warehouse space. Commercial garage doors often get overlooked when it comes to winterization and maintenance, so make sure you don’t forget these tips when the time comes!

Winterizing Commercial Garage Doors

A commercial garage door in Rochester MN does more than create an opening for freight to be delivered or trucks to pull in. Commercial garage doors seal in the heat and keep out the cold and ice in the height of winter. When doors are in proper working order and up to date on maintenance, they can ease the burden on your heating system and lower your energy bills.

The top things you need to check when winterizing your commercial garage door include:

• Check the weather stripping for cracks, tears, and wear. The weather stripping is what seals your commercial door and prevents ice, snow, or water from leaking into the building. Weather stripping will need to be replaced on your commercial garage door more than once in it’s lifetime, so make sure to check this every winter or before heavy rain forecasts. 
• Check for cracks in the body of the door. Doors can wear down over time, especially when they get a lot of use, and on a loading dock or warehouse, drivers and warehouse staff can be rough on doors when moving freight, or bringing them up and down. Cracks in your door can lead to more damage if not fixed as soon as possible. Sometimes you may need to completely replace the door. 

Business owners should also check if their commercial garage doors are insulated. Most newer garage doors are manufactured to be an effective barrier against the cold, but if your garage door is older than a few decades, it may not be insulated at all! Properly insulated commercial garage doors will save your company a ton of money when it comes to utility payments for heating this winter. 

Give Thompson’s Garage Door a call to get your commercial garage door maintenance scheduled at 507-281-1349.